Roughriders Win Gray Cup: 2023 Final Result

The Saskatchewan Roughriders are crowned Gray Cup champions following a 25-17 victory over the Montreal Alouettes on Sunday in Winnipeg.

This is a fifth Gray Cup victory for the Roughriders, a first since 2013.

Roughriders quarterback Trevor Harris was named player of the game at the 112th Gray Cup, while his receiver Samuel Emilus received the title of Canadian player of the game.

Harris completed 23 passes on 27 attempts for 302 yards. He didn’t throw a touchdown pass, but the 39-year-old veteran completed the game with an 85.2% completion rate, which is a Gray Cup record.

Turnovers caused the loss for the Alouettes, as three interceptions were made on Davis Alexander, as well as a loose ball from Shea Patterson which was recovered by the Roughriders in the end zone at the end of the game.

It’s hard to describe the feeling, Patterson said in an almost inaudible voice. I had an opportunity to get the first play and put us in a good position to score a touchdown and tie the game. I don’t know. Their guy made a good play, he hit me from the side, and I couldn’t hold the ball.

This is the first time in 23 games that our offense has lost the ball inside the opponent’s 20 line. We do it on a second and two yards from the three line, I never saw that coming […] I know he’s going to feel really bad, but we told him at that point to keep his head up because there was still time to get back in this game. It will be especially difficult for him, because he will have six months to think about it.

We’re not afraid to say it, when we win the turnover battle, we win. The last two playoff games we lost, we allowed nine more turnoversAwake Mas.

It was the Alouettes who started the game with possession of the ball, but they were quick to hand it over to the Roughriders. On the third offensive play, Alexander was the victim of an interception by Marcus Sayles following a long pass.

Saskatchewan was unable to take advantage of this early turnaround. A single was recorded following Jesse Mirco’s punt.

Alexander didn’t seem too shaken after committing a larceny on his first pass of the game. He didn’t hesitate to target deep areas again, and it paid off when Tyson Philpot scored a 37-yard catch.

This big reception set up Patterson’s rushing touchdown on his second attempt at a quarterback sneak. It was one of the rare moments of celebration for the Montreal attack in the first half against the tight Saskatchewan defense.

The Roughriders immediately responded to the Alouettes. On the edge of the pay zone, they gave the ball to Tommy Stevens who, in turn, crossed the short distance thanks to a sneak from the quarterback.

The land route continued to smile on Saskatchewan when A.J. Ouellette widened the gap in the final minutes of the second period. The running back reached the promised land after a four-yard run.

Leading 15-7 at the break, the Western champions kept their foot on the accelerator when they returned to the field. Tommy Stevens scored his second touchdown on a one-yard run early in the third quarter.

The Roughriders defense continued its momentum. For the third time in the match, one of Alexander’s passes was intercepted. The Alouettes center’s offering was grabbed by Tevaughn Campbell.

I didn’t play well enough to win this match. There were things I didn’t do during the season, like giving the ball away three times. When you get downgraded to quarterback, you put your team in trouble.

Ultimately, I have to be better for this organization in the biggest moments of my lifeadded Alexander.

Moments later after the third interception, precision kicker Brett Lauther converted his strike 48 yards to increase the lead to 25-7 in favor of Saskatchewan.

But the Alouettes had not said their last word.

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On the last play of the third quarter, running back Stevie Scott III used his power to record the middle finger and stop the bleeding. The Roughriders had scored 24 unanswered points.

A successful precision kick from Jose Maltos Diaz allowed Jason Maas’s men to close to 25-17 midway through the fourth period. What followed was a failed attempt by his opposite number Lauther which could have been very costly for the Roughriders.

The Alouettes then progressed to the edge of the end zone, but a fumbled ball from Patterson cut short Montreal’s aspirations. The offensive unit took advantage of a final sequence with less than a minute remaining in the match, without success.

My hat is off to Saskatchewan. They made the plays to win. We have to get back to work. It’s just that we won’t see each other again for six months.concluded by Maas.

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With information from The Canadian Press